Operation condition detecting and displaying device

ABSTRACT

An operation condition detecting and displaying device for use in conjunction with a rotary indication device including a control circuit for energizing drive means adapted to successively switch and display a plurality of indicating members in series when the drive means receives actuation signals. The operation condition detecting and displaying device comprises at least one abnormal operation condition indication member, a switch cam mounted on the rotary member of said rotary indication device, a first switch in said control circuit to be actuated by said switch cam so as to energize said drive means for successively switching and displaying said indication members, an operation condition detection circuit for generating a check signal when said detection circuit detects an abnormal operation condition and a second switch in said control circuit to be actuated by said cam disc and adapted to energize said drive means when said abnormal condition indication member is positioned in the displaying position while said indication device is operating under normal condition, so as to pass the indicattion member over the displaying position and also energize the drive means when an abnormal condition occurs in said indication device so as to hold said abnormal condition indication member in said displaying position.

United States Patent [1 1 Arai et al.

1 OPERATION CONDITION DETECTING AND DISPLAYING DEVICE [75] Inventors: Kiyoyuki Arai, Tokyo; Tomio Kikuchi, Tokorozawa, both of Japan 731 Assignee: Copal Company Limited, Tokyo,

Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 9, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 530,990

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner-David L. Trafton Attorney, Agent, or FirmOblon, Fisher, Spivak, McClelland & Maier Dec. 23, 1975 [5 7] ABSTRACT An operation condition detecting and displaying device for use in conjunction with a rotary indication device including a control circuit for energizing drive means adapted to successively switch and display a plurality of indicating members in series when the drive means receives actuation signals. The operation condition detecting and displaying device comprises at least one abnormal operation condition indication member, a switch cam mounted on the rotary member of said rotary indication device, a first switch in said control circuit to be actuated by said switch cam so as to energize said drive means for successively switching and displaying said indication members, an operation condition detection circuit for generating a check signal when said detection circuit detects an abnormal operation condition and a second switch in said control circuit to be actuated by said cam disc and adapted to energize said drive means when said abnormal condition indication member is positioned in the displaying position while said indication device is operating under normal condition, so as to pass the indicattion member over the displaying position and also energize the drive means when an abnormal condition occurs in said indication device so as to hold said abnormal condition-indication member in said displaying position.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures atent Dec. 23, 1975 3,928,846

SWITCHNG s IGNALG OPERATION CONDITION DETECTING AND DISPLAYING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an operation condition detecting and displaying device and more particularly, to an operation condition detecting and displaying device for use in conjunction with an indication device such as a digital clock, for example, to detect a normal or abnormal operation condition of the indication device and display the detected operation condition of the indication device.

There have been proposed and practically employed a number of operation condition detecting and displaying devices of the above type. One of the prior art operation condition detecting and displaying devices is so designed that in order to detect and display whether an indication device associated with the detecting and displaying device and adapted to effect a predetermined operation in response to an electric input signal such as a motor-driven digital clock is operating under normal conditions or under abnormal conditions, the rotor of the motor (the rotor may be a rotary section of the indication device which rotates continuously at a high speed) is so arranged that the rotor can be directly observed from external through a peeping window to determine the operation condition of the indication device by detecting whether the rotor is rotating or not (or rotating abnormally) or alternatively, the operation condition of the indication device is displayed by means of a LED (light emitting diode), an electric displaying member such as an ampere meter or an acoustic member. However, these detection methods are inevitably subjected to limitation with respect to the size of the displaying member and have the disadvantage that the larger the indication members of the indication device which are the objects to be displayed is, the smaller the size of the operation condition detection member is to thereby make it difficult to observe the operation condition of the indication device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provice an operation condition detecting and displaying device for use in conjunction with an indication device which can eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages and which has an abnormal operation condition displaying means combined with the indication members in series of the indication device itself which are the objects to be displayed.

The above and other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which shows one preferred embodiment of the invention for illustration purpose only, but not for limiting the scope of the same in any way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic view of essential parts of one embodiment of operation condition detecting and displaying device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the control circuit of the device as shown in FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a modification of the control circuit of FIG. 2.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be now described referring to the accompanying drawing and more particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof which shows one embodiment of operation condition detecting and displaying device of the present invention as being incorporated in a flap-type day of the week indication device as one application, but it is to be understood that the present invention can be also employed in conjunction with other digital clocks and indication devices in which indications in series are successively switched.

In FIG. 1, a series of flaps or indication members 1 l, 1 2 I 8 each carrying predetermined informations or days of the week informations are pivoted at one edge to the periphery of a drum 2 and adapted to be successively brought toand held in the exposing or displaying position one after another by a claw or an engaging means (not shown) to give a predetermined desired indication and more particularly, as the drum 2 is rotated by a predetermined angular distance, the flap which is now held in the displaying position by the engaging means is disengaged from the engaging means -to be allowed to pivot downwardly and, at the same time, the succeeding flap is engaged by the engaging means to be held in the exposing or displaying position so as to display the informations carried thereby for observation. These flaps include specific flaps which carry abnormal operation condition informations indicating voltage drop at the power source for the indicating device or-=improper operation condition in the mechanism of the device, for example, as well as the flaps in series. which carry days of the week information. Thus, the flaps carrying the days of the week informations willbe referred to as flaps in series and the flaps carrying the abnormal operation condition informations will be referred to as specific flaps hereinafter, respectively. In FIG. 1, such specific flaps are shown by l l and l 8, respectively. That is, the detecting and displaying device is shown with the specific flaps held in the displaying or exposing position. The drum 2"has a shaft 3 secured thereto and shaft 3 is provided at the end remote from the end where the drum 2 is secured with a gear 4 which is in turn meshing with a pinionS. Engaged with the pinion 5 is a worm wheel 6 which is in turn in meshing with a worm 7 mounted on the output shaft of an electric motor 8. Thus, when the motor 8 is energized, the drum 2 is rotated through the above-mentioned transmission arrangement. The ration of the gear 4 to the pinion 5 is so selected that when the drum 2 is rotated by an angu lar distance sufficient to effect one information switching operation, the worm wheel 6 makes one complete rotation.

Secured tothe worm wheel 6 is a switch cam 9 which is formed with a recess 9a and one arm 11a of a switch operation lever 11 which is pivoted to a stub shaft 10 and preferably urged normally in the clockwise direction by means of a spring (not shown) is adapted to contact the switch cam 9. The other arm 11b of the switch lever 11 has a pin 12 embedded in and projecting laterally of the other lever arm and contacting one movable contact 13 of a pair of contacts 13 and 14 (the latter is stationary) of a normally open switch SWb.

- The shape and dimensions of the cam 9 is so selected that when the periphery 9a of the switch cam 9 is engaged by the arm llu of the lever 11, the lever II is pivoted in the counter-clockwise direction and the pin 12 on the lever 11 pushes the movable contact 13 to cause the contact to engage the other or stationary contact 14 to therby close the switch SWb and on the other hand, when the lever arm 11a engages in the recess 9a in the cam 9, the pin 12 on the lever 11 is subjectedto the resilient action afforded by both the spring (not shown) and the contact 13 so as to pivot the lever in the clockwise direction to open the switch SWb. The angular position of the recess 90 in the switch cam 9 is also so selected that when any one of the flaps is positioned in the exposing or displaying position, the cam recess 9a is engaged by the arm 11a of the lever 11 to thereby maintain the switch SWb in its open position, but when the motor 8 is energized to rotate the switch cam 9 so as to cause the cam recess 9a to disengage from the lever 11 or more particularly, from the lever arm 11a, the lever arm 11a immediately contacts the periphery 9b of the cam 9 to thereby close the switch SWb.

The shaft 3 also has a cam disc 15 at the left-hand end (as seen in FIG. 1) adjacent to and inwardly of the drum 2 and the cam disc is formed with a notch,16 in the periphery thereof. A switch lever 19 is pivoted in the center thereof to a stub shaft 17 and has at one end a downwardly extending pawl which is normally urged in the counter-clockwise direction to engage the cam disc 15 by a coiled spring 18 which is anchored at one end to the switch lever and at the other to a suitable anchoring member (not shown). The other end of the switch lever 19 has a pin 21 embedded and extending laterally of the associated lever and a switchSWa is provided adjacent to the switch lever 19 with its movable contact 22 positioned to be engaged by the pin 21 in the manner as will be described hereinbelow. The arrangement is so made that when the pawl 20 at one end of the switch lever 19 is in abutment against the periphery of the cam disc 15, the pin 21 atthe other end of the lever 19 pushes the movable contact 22 of the switch SWa to cause the contact to contact one stationary contact 23 of the same switch while when the pawl 20 of the lever 19 engages in the cam notch 16 as the shaft 3 and accordingly, the cam disc,15 rotates, the pin 21 is moved upwardly to cause the movable contact 22. to disengage from the contact 23 and contact the other stationary contact 24 of the switch SWa.

The angular position of the cam recess 16 in the cam disc 15 is so selected that when the specific flaps such as the flap 1 1 and 1 8 (the informations relating to cell change, forexample) are positioned in the exposing or displaying position, the pawl 20 on the lever .19 engages in the cam notch 16 in the cam disc 15.

The operation condition detecting and displaying device of the invention comprising the components constructed and arranged as described hereinabove is electrically connected to a control circuit through the above-mentioned switches SWa and SWb in the manner as will be described hereinbelow. The drive motor 8 is energized or rotated each time the control circuit is fed with an information switching input signal. When the motor 8 is rotated, the arm 11a of the lever 11 is caused to disengage from the cam recess 9a in the switch cam 9 to allow the movable contact 13 to contact the stationary contact 14 to thereby close the switch SW1) while the motor 8 continues to rotate. When the lever arm 11a reengages in the cam recess 9a as the motor 8 continues to rotate,.the movable contact 13 is separated from the stationary contact 14 to open the switch SWb whereupon the motor 8 ceases to rotate to stop and hold the succeeding flap following the specific flaps in theexposing or displaying position. The switch SWa is so arranged that when the information indication device with which the operation condition detecting and displaying device of the invention is associated is operating under normal conditions, the flaps l 2 l 7 are successively switched one after another. As the indication device continues to operate under normal conditions, when the specific flaps l 1 and 1 8 are positioned in the exposing or displaying position, the pawl 20 of the lever 19 engages in the cam notch 16 in the cam disc 15 to pivot the lever 19 in the counter-clockwise direction so as to cause the movable contact 22 to separate from the stationary contact 23 and engage the other stationary contact 24 of the switch SW0 to thereby energize the motor 8 which in turn passesthe specific flaps over the displaying position and position the succeeding flap following the specific flaps in the displaying position. In this way, so long as the indication device operates under normal conditions, the specific flaps are not held in the displaying position, but only the flaps in series are successively brought to and held in the displaying position. However, when an abnormal condition occurs in the indication device such as voltage drop at the power source of the indication device below a predetermined value and/or improper operation in the mechanism of the indication device, a detection circuit (not shown) detects such an abnormal operation condition and generates a check signal which is fed to the control circuit. When the control circuit is fed with the check input signal, the operation mode of the switch SWa is switched to maintain the motor 8 in its energized condition until the specific flaps are brought to and held in the exposing or displaying position whereupon the pawl 20 of the lever 19 engages in the cam notch 16 in the cam disc 15 to shift the switch SWa to the mode in which the motor 8 is denergized so as to stop the drum whereby the abnormal operation condition is displayed.

One example of the control circuit which functions in the manner as will be mentioned hereinabove is illustrated in FIG. 2. The control circuit includes a SCR adapted to be made conductive upon being fed with an input signal'for switching informations in a series one after another in a predetermined order, an electric power source E, a breaking switch SW0, a transistor 25 and transistor 26, 27 adapted to selectively feed check signals relating to abnormal operation conditions to their bases. The motor 8 is connected through the emitter and collector of the transistor 25 and the switch SW0 'to the electric power source E and the SCR, switch SWb, transistors 26, 27 and switch SWa are electrically connected to each other as shown in FIG. 2.

,Connected 'to the and terminals of the electric power source E is a detection circuit adapted to detect the voltage at the electric power source and generate a check signal or to switch an energizing signal when the voltage drops below a predetermined value.

The terminals 28 and 29 are adapted to be connected to the bases of the transistors 26 and 27, respectively and when the indication device is operating under normal conditions, the terminal 28 and terminal 29 are fed with a deenergizing signal and an energizing signal, respectively, from the detection circuit to thereby maintain the transistor 26 in the OFF position and the transistor 27 in the ON position. However, in case of 5. occurrence of an abnormal operation condition such as voltage drop, the terminal 28 is fed with an energizing signal and the terminal 29 is fed with a deenergizing signal, respectively, from the detection circuit I to thereby turn the transistor 26 to the ON position and the transistor 29 to the OFF position, respectively.

Therefore, when an information switching signal is fed .to the SCR, the SCR is turned to the OFF position and the voltage at the base of the transistor 25 drops to thereby turn the transistor 25 to the ON position and as a result, the motor 8 is energized to rotate the drum 2. Simultaneously, the switch cam 9 is also rotated to disengage the arm 11a of the lever 11 from the cam recess 9a in the switch cam 9 to the position in which the arm 11a rides on the periphery 9a of the switch cam 9. Therefore, the switch SWb is closed to maintain the transistor 25 in the ON position to thereby allow the motor 8 to rotate continuously. As the motor 8 rotates continuously, the switch cam 9 makes one complete rotation until the lever arm lla reengages in the cam recess 9a in the switch cam 9 whereupon the switch SW!) is opened again to turn the transistor 25 to the OFF position to stop the rotation of the motor 8. At this time, the drum 2 is indexed to the position in which the succeeding flap is brought to and held in the exposing or displaying position.

On the other hand, when the indication device is operating under normal conditions, while the flaps are being successively brought to and held in the displaying position, the pawl 20 of the lever 19 continues to ride on the periphery of the cam disc and the contacts 22 and 23 of the switch SWa contact each other. And when the indication device is operating under normal conditions, since the transistor 26 remains in the OFF position, the flaps in series are successively switched by the operation of the switch SWb without actuating the transistor 25. However, when the specific flaps are brought to the displaying position and the pawl 20 of the lever 15 engages in the recess 16 in the cam disc 15, the switch SWa is switched to cause the movable contact 22 to disengage from the stationary contact 23 and engage the other stationary contact 24 and thus, the transistor 25 is turned to the ON position because of its connection with the transistor 27 which is now in the ON position to thereby energize the motor 8 which in turn closes the switch SWb. In this way, even the switch SWa is switched in the manner mentioned just above, the motor 8 continues to rotate so as to pass the specific flaps over the display position and then bring the succeeding flap of the flaps in series to the displaying position. Thereafter, the flaps in series are successively brought to and held in the displaying position.

However, when a check signal is generated upon the occurrence of an abnormal condition in the indication device such as voltage drop at the electric power source, for example, the terminal 28 is energized while the terminal 29 is deenergized to thereby turn the transistor 26 to the ON position and the transistor 27 to the OFF position. Therefore, on the contrary to the operation condition described hereinabove, so long the pawl 20 of the lever 19 is riding on the periphery of the cam disc 15 or while the flaps in series are being successively brought to and held in the displaying position, the contacts 22 and 23 of the switch SWa remain in the engaged position and thus. the transistor 25 is turned to the ON position by the transistor 26 which is now in the ON position whereby the flaps in series are successively switched and brought to the displaying position until the specific flaps are brought to the displaying position whereupon the pawl 20 of the lever 19 engages in the notch 16 in the cam disc 15 to switch the movable contact 22 from its engagement with the stationary contact 23 to the other stationary contact 24 and the transistor 25 is turned to the OFF position by the transistor 27 which is now in the OFF position to thereby stop the rotation of the motor 8 and display the abnormal operation informations on the specific flaps.

FIG. 3 shows amodification of the control circuit of FIG. 2 and this modified circuit is substantially similar to that of FIG. 2 except for the following arrangement and operation mode of the components. In the control circuit of FIG. 3, when an abnormal operation condition occurs in the indication device with which the operation condition detecting and displaying device incorporating the control circuit therein is associated, the check signal is fed to the base of the transistor 30 to turn the transistor to the ON position which in turn energizes the solenoid 31 connected to the transistor. The energization of the solenoid 31" causes the switch SWd interconnected therewith to shift its contact engagement condition. The arrangement is so made that the shifting of the contact engagement condition in the switch SWa cooperates with the shifting of theengagement condition of the movable contact 22 with respect to the stationary contacts 23 and 24 in the SWa as shown in FIG. 2 so as to switch the flaps in series in turn while the indication device is operating under normal conditions and when the base of the transistor 30 is fed with a check signal upon occurrence of an abnormal operation condition in the indication device, the motor 8 is rotated to cause the switch SW1! to switch in such a manner that the flaps in series are skipped until the specific flaps are brought to and held in the displaying position.

As clear from the foregoing descriptiopn of one preferred embodiment of operation condition and displaying device of the invention, according to the present invention, when an abnormal operation condition occurs in the associated indication device, since informations indicating the abnormal condition appear in the displaying section of the indication device itself, the informations can be easily and clearly observed to thereby prevent occurrence of any trouble resulting from the abnormal operation condition.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that the same is for illustration purpose only and not to be taken as a definition of the invention, reference being had for the purpose to the appended claim.

We claim:

1. In a rotary indication device including a control circuit for energizing drive means adapted to successively switch and display a plurality of indication members in series each time said drive means is fed with a predetermined actuation signal, the improvement which comprises an operation condition detecting and displaying device including at least one abnormal operation condition indication member added to said plurality of indication members in series, a switch cam mounted on the rotary member of said rotary indication device, a first switch provided in said control circuit and interlocked with said switch cam to be actuated thereby so as to energize said drive means to cause the drive means to successively switch and display said indication members in series and abnormal operation condition indication member, an operation condition detection circuit for generating a check signal when said detection circuit detects an abnormal operation condition of said indication device and a second switch provided in said control circuit and interlocked with said cam disc to be a actuated thereby, said second switch being so arranged that when said abnormal operation condition indication member is positioned in the displaying position, the second switch energizes said drive means to cause the drive means to pass the abnormal operation condition'indication member over said displaying position and bring the succeeding indi- 

1. In a rotary indication device including a control circuit for energizing drive means adapted to successively switch and display a plurality of indication members in series each time said drive means is fed with a predetermined actuation signal, the improvement which comprises an operation condition detecting and displaying device including at least one abnormal operation condition indication member added to said plurality of indication members in series, a switch cam mounted on the rotary member of said rotary indication device, a first switch provided in said control circuit and interlocked with said switch cam to be actuated thereby so as to energize said drive means to cause the drive means to successively switch and display said indication members in series and abnormal operation condition indication member, an operation condition detection circuit for generating a check signal when said detection circuit detects an abnormal operation condition of said indication device and a second switch provided in said control circuit and interlocked with said cam disc to be a actuated thereby, said second switch being so arranged that when said abnormal operation condition indication member is positioned in the displaying position, the second switch energizes said drive means to cause the drive means to pass the abnormal operation condition indication member over said diSplaying position and bring the succeeding indication member in series to the displaying position and when the second switch is fed with said check input signal regardless of the operation of said first switch, the second switch energizes said drive means to cause the drive means to successively switch said indication means in series until said abnormal operation condition indication member is brought to the displaying position whereby the abnormal operation condition indication member is displayed. 